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We Are the Church

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by Calven CelliersAs a Team, our church staff are currently working through Andy Stanley’s book ‘Irresistible’ in our weekly devotions together. Today I want to share a portion of the chapter that we read this past Wednesday and some pertaining thoughts that it sparked in my mind at this time, with you. ‘After taking over from the disaster that was King Saul, King David spent years expanding, settling, and fortifying the nation of Israel. Eventually there was a break in the action. During the lull, it dawned on David that while everyone else had moved indoors, God was still living in a tent... So, David made an appointment with the prophet in residence, Nathan… Nathan smiled and suggested David do something about it. [But] God was fine living in a tent. He seemed to prefer it. Besides He wasn’t home most of the time anyway … God tells David he has too much blood on his hands to build a temple. David doesn’t argue, but he doesn’t give up on his idea. He forges ahead to ensure that when his son Solomon becomes king, everything will be in place for construction of a permanent structure … David raised the money. He had plans drawn. He hired stonecutters. And according to plan, when Solomon took the throne, the grand construction project began. Twenty years later it was completed. At the end of those twenty years, Solomon invited God to leave His tent and move indoors.’ (Irresistible – Andy Stanley)Andy highlights that Solomon’s temple embodied design features similar to all other pagan temples including a sacred space designed specifically for the image of the god for whom the temple was dedicated. A god-vault; the most sacred of sacred chambers. Solomon’s temple also had a chamber of this nature, referred to in Scripture as the holy of holies. The distinguishing, differentiating characteristic of the Jewish temple, however, was something it lacked that other pagan temples had. An image.Israel served a living God. Unlike the pagan gods in Solomon's day or those worshipped centuries later by citizens of Rome, Israel’s God did not need to be carted into His temple and hoisted onto a pedestal. Israel’s God never needed to be locked up at night so no one would steal Him. Israel’s God never needed to be wheeled out by priests on festival days. Israel’s God was Spirit. A Holy Spirit. Israel’s God wasn’t put in His temple. Israel’s God inhabited His temple.So, what does all this mean for us today? It got me thinking that at this peculiar time in world history, when many believers aren’t able to gather together in church, we must remember that you don’t need to go to church to meet with God, because God isn’t in a church building, He inhabits us! As born-again believers we ourselves are temples inhabited by the living God. We serve a living God who abides in us in the form of the Holy Spirit. While it’s nice to gather together in the…

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One Day at a Time

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Guest Postby John DoyleJeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope"Learning how to take things One Day at Time when anxiety hits, as it has with many in these days of Lockdown, is important and God's Word gives us great insight into His plan during these difficult days. I was reading a story about a song written by Christa Wells called “One Day” while I was preparing one of my devotionals. I was keen to get the correct Biblical perspective on the subject not knowing exactly how the Lord will lead me in my studies.Then I listened to this song on line. My heart kept being drawn back to believing that its important in these days to take things One Day at a Time"You’re doing one day, one breath, one prayerOne thing at a time, One word, one step, one hopeIn a coming light, Don’t try to swallow the oceanKeep doing one day, ‘Til one day you’re free"My wife Barbara and I are not really “one day at a time” people. We tend to be future oriented. Can't wait to see our Granddaughter Kristen get married in August and be with our son Keith on his 50th birthday. Its just consuming our minds at this time as we just don't know if we will be able to travel there due to Lockdown.We are praying everyday that it will be possible but our end request is "Lord Thy Will be done". We would love to know what exactly is going to happen, how it will happen, how long will it take to happen so we just decided to keep praying and taking One Day at a Time.It is exhausting at times going through these days of Lockdown and does cause anxiety to many people. But when you think about the life of Jesus on earth knowing what He was going to go through He always knew the Bigger picture and knew the outcome, and He just took One Day at a Time and impacted so many lives with His actions and Words. The greatest example for us all.God is so gracious to us and ever so patient. When we work ourselves up with the what if’s and maybes, He reminds us of our text verse above "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11God knows what our future holds so we can rest in Him. We know this to be true through our many years of ministry. We decided just to BE AT PEACE.This is exactly where God wants us all to be. He wants us to lean on Him. He wants us to run to Him in time of need and not to try and figure everything out on our own and travel down roads…

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The Word of the Lord Remains Forever

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by Graham MolToday on the Google home page the "Google Doodle", that is the little picture above the box where you type in your search request, is in honour of "Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the movable type printing press. German-born Gutenberg’s invention in the 1400s is credited with bringing about the printing revolution in Renaissance Europe. Google has chosen to celebrate Gutenberg on 14 April, because on that date in 2000 the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany, launched an exhibition to honour him in celebration of its 100th anniversary." (Source the Independent) A Copy of the Gutenberg Bible Gutenberg's masterpiece is the world's first printed Bible, known as the Gutenberg Bible. Only 180 copies were made and today there are only 49 of them left. If you happen to have a copy in your garage, you could be very, very rich as a complete copy could go for at least $35 Million! Since Gutenberg's Bible there have been many, many more printed. The Guinness Book of Records estimates that over 5 billion Bibles have been printed so far, it is by far the most sold book in history.These stats shouldn't surprise us for the Lord has said that His word will remain forever:"35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Matthew 24:35)The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)“All flesh is like grassand all its glory like the flower of grass.The grass withers,and the flower falls,but the word of the Lord remains forever.”And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:24-25)Although the Gutenberg prints of the Bible are worth millions, their worth pales in comparison to the precious word of God that has transformed the lives of millions of people. Whether through quiet personal reading, or reading out loud in a group, whether sung or preached, God uses His recorded word to speak into our lives today and forevermore. God BlessGraham

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Reconciliation as the Mission of God

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Guest Postby Herman GroenewaldI have been following some of the Lausanne Movements’ (Connecting influencers and ideas for global mission) writings end excerpts from their group meetings and discussions.I cannot help but pass this on for others to read and to follow the work of this forum for World Evangelization.It is incumbent for us as part of God’s Church in the world to further the Gospel Message and to be aware of what God is doing in His World. Often we become short sighted and focus on our own immediate world or circle of friends and family and forget about the fact that we are part of the greater family of God and his work.Our task is our part in God’s Mission in the world.I have extracted some of the notes from the Lausanne Movement that gives focus’ and attention to World Evangelization.~ Herman GroenewaldReconciliation as the Mission of God“A New Vision, a New Heart, a Renewed Call” “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female,  for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:27-28[1]Our Common CallReconciliation is God’s initiative.  The Church is called to be a living sign of the one body of Christ.  Reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel and the church’s life and mission, and is integral to evangelism and justice.  Reconciliation is a deep and costly process, and requires humility, forgiveness, courage and patience.  We need to be committed to pursuing God’s reconciling mission in a world of broken relationships and destructive conflicts.Our CommitmentsPray for one another and for the Church;Practice confession and forgiveness in our personal lives, seeking healing;Stay in touch and gather to tell our stories, discern, help each other, learn about and lament destructive divisions and conflicts, and seek and celebrate signs of hope;The Lausanne Movement wishes to establish a network to forward relationship and partnership. and invite Christians across the world to join the Lausanne Movement Forum for World EvangelizationAdvocate and speak prophetically for justice and reconciliation, including engaging church, civic, and political leaders, without compromising our biblical convictions;Contribute and share resources;Research, publish, communicate, and disseminate;Work humbly together as servants to seek the church’s renewal and to help mobilize the global Christian community to be partners in God’s reconciling mission. Internet link for more information about the Lausanne Movement: https://lausanne.org/content/lop/lop-51-reconciliation-as-the-mission-of-god 

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